Ball tip bristle brush roller



Aug. 21, 1962 A. SIDELMAN BALL TIP BRISTLE BRUSH ROLLER Filed June 7, 1961 INV EN TOR [man I Abraham 6M6 United States Patent 3,050,070 BALL TE BRISTLE BRUSH ROLLER Abraham Sidehnan, Jamaica, N.Y., assignor to H. Goodman & Sons, Inc New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June '7, 1961, Ser. No. 115,516 1 Claim. ((11. 132-39) My invention relates to bristle brush hair rollers or curlers for forming hair curls and, more specifically, to hair curl forming ball tip bristle brush hair rollers or curlers which, when initially positioned on the human head and during the winding of the hair tuft or strands therearound and when finally positioned on the human head with the hair tuft or hair strands wound into position therearound, impart at all times the feeling of softness without any discomfort to the scalp and Without any entangling and attendant pulling of the hair strands such as is caused by the bristles of presently known bristle brush hair roller or curlers by reason of the trimmed, but unfinished or untreated, bristle ends contacting the scalp including, of course, the hair strands.

My invention relates to bristle brush hair rollers or curlers for forming a hair curl, for brushing out the hair while forming the hair curl therearound, for gripping or frictionally engaging the hair strands while being wound therearound, and for holding the so-formed curl in position, and comprises, in combination, a hollow flexible open mesh material tube of substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout and a longitudinally extending brush having radially extending bristles positioned within said tube. Said bristles have relatively smooth rounded protuberant, or ball shaped, end portions extending through and beyond the openings in and through said hollow tube, and the cross-sectional area of each of said rounded protuberant or ball shaped end portions is larger than the cross-sectional area of the bristle portion directly adjacent thereto. By way of explanation, the terminology rounded protuberant or ball shaped as used throughout the application to define the end bristle portion includes substantially ellipsoidally and substantially spherically end portions, and the terms rounded protuberant and ball are synonymous. By reason of the presence of the smooth so shaped ends of the bristles, the hair rollers or curlers can be used by the wearer without any discomfort to the scalp and without any entangling and attendant pulling of the hair tuft or strands. Further, because of the presence of the ball shaped bristle end portions in contacting the scalp there is imparted to the scalp a feeling of softness and this in spite of the fact that said bristles are relatively hard and stiif with respect to the scalp.

More particularly, the hair roller or curler and brush combination is worn temporarily in the hair and is utilized by winding a tuft, or strands, of hair therearound. It includes a hollow tubular member preferably of braided or woven horsehair, artificial horsehair or a similar relatively stiff or semi-stiff but resilient or flexible material which is preferably cylindrical in shape and preferably circular in cross section and preferably of uniform diameter throughout. Said tubular member may also be extruded or molded or otherwise fabricated. Positioned within this soshaped hollow tubular member, and preferably in contact therewith, is a similarly shaped wire helically or spirally wound to form a coil which acts as a reinforcing member for said hollow member. Preferably, the respective ends of said hollow open mesh material member are turned inwardly over the respective end portions of said reinforcing member thereby preventing any loose ends of said mesh material from protruding beyond the ends of the composite roller, and enabling easy handling in winding the hair therearound. Positioned within such combina- 3,050,070 Patented Aug. 21, 1962 tion of hollow open mesh material member and coil spring reinforcing member is a longitudinally extending brush including radially extending bristle members extending through and between the convolutions of the coil spring and through and beyond the open mesh material of the hollow member. Also within the scope of this invention is a hollow open mesh tubular member, molded or extruded in accordance with the well-known molding or extruding methods, of a thermoplastic organic resinous material such as polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, or the like, in place of. the braided member and coil combination, which type of molded or extruded member is in itself, because of the very nature of its material, reinforced and relatively stilf or semi-stiff but resilient or flexible. The brush is preferably a cylindrical brush having a core of preferably two intertwisted strands of core wires having tufts of bristles of thermoplastic organic resinous material, including polystyrene, nylon, polypropylene, and the like, held firmly and in properly spaced relationship between said two wires, the bristles extending radially outwardly from said so-formed core. Under conventional methods the bristle ends of the bristles of the brush, after the brush including the wire core and bristles has been formed, are trimmed, and are left with sharp edges which upon contact with the human scalp or human skin cause discomfort thereto. Also, in brushing and/or gripping the human hair with such brushes having the so-trimmed bristles, the hair upon contacting said so-trimmed bristles having said sharp edges tends to become entangled with the bristles with the attendant pulling thereof. In addition, in positioning the brush having the so-trimmed bristles into the hollow tubular open mesh material, the trimmed edges thereof tend to catch and become entangled with the open mesh material. Each of the bristles or filaments of the bristle brush of my hair roller or curler and brush combination is preferably circular in cross section and preferably approximately 0.01 inch in diameter, and is provided with a ball shaped end portion substantially symmetrically positioned with respect to the remainder of the bristle, the cross-sectional area of each bristle taken through the center of said ball shaped end portion along any plane coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the bristle being, of course, larger than the cross-sectional area of the bristle or filament and, more particularly, larger than the cross-sectional area of the bristle portion directly adjacent to said ball shaped end portion and taken along a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and through said bristle portion. Preferably, the largest horizontal dimension of said ball shaped end portion is-no larger than approximately twice the diameter of the respective bristle or filament, viz. approximately 0.02 inch.

An object of my invention is to provide a bristle brush hair roller or curler comprising a hollow flexible open mesh material tube of substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout in combination with a longitudinally extending brush positioned therein having radially extending bristles with smooth, ball shaped ends, extending through and beyond the open mesh material tube whereby said roller combination when initially positioned on the head and during the forming of the hair strands therearound and when finally positioned on the head inrparts a feeling of softness without any discomfort to the scalp and without any entanglement and attendant pulling of the hair strands.

Other objects and features will be readily apparent from the following detailed description which is not limiting but only illustrative of the preferred embodiments of my invention.

FIGURE 1a is an enlarged view in perspective of the end portion of a bristle after having been trimmed.

FIGURE lb is an enlarged view in perspective of the end portion of another bristle after having been trimmed.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged view in perspective of the end portion of another bristle after having been trimmed. FIGURE id is an enlarged view in perspective of the end portion of still another bristle after having been trimmed.

FIGURE 2. is an exploded view in perspective of my bristle brush hair roller combination.

. FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view in perspective of the end portion of a bristle of the brush showing a spherically shaped end thereof and the bristle portion directly adjacent thereto.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

' FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view of a brush bristle having a spherically shaped end portion showing a hair strand in contact therewith and during positioning of the hair about the roller.

' FIGURE 7 is an enlarged view in perspective of a bristle of the brush showing an ellipsoidally shaped end thereof and the bristle portion directly adjacent thereto.

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bristle of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged view of a brush bristle having an ellipsoidally shaped end portion showing a hair strand in contact therewith and during positioning of the hair about the roller.

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 10--10 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is a view in perspective of another embodiment of open mesh material tube of my bristle brush hair roller combination.

FIGURE 12 is a view in perspective of still another embodiment of open mesh material tube of my bristle brush hair roller combination.

As hereinbefore set forth, the trimming of the bristles results in the formation of sharp edges at the ends thereof, and these sharp edges on contact with the human scalp cause discomfort thereto. As a result of the trimming operation the end portion of the bristle assumes one of several shapes as shown in FIGURES 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d of the appended drawings. Referring to FIGURE la, the bristle 3 is bent over at its end, as shown, and has the sharp edge 5. Referring to FIGURE lb, the bristle 7 is split at its end and has the sharp edges 9 and 11. Referring to FIGURE 1c, the bristle 15 is split and then curled over and has the sharp edges 17 and 19. Referring to FIGURE 1d, the bristle 21 is deformed at its end and there is an overhanging portion 23 having the sharp edge 25, as'clearly shown in the appended drawing. It is to be clearly understood that the foregoing bristle end shapes are formed in the production trimming operations, that is, where many bristles are trimmed at .one time. The ball shaped end portions of the bristles or filaments, as hereinafter specifically described, are formed preferably by heating and thereby melting and then cooling said end portions, all under ordinary atmos- 6 pheric conditions, and said ball shaped end portions are such as will not break off from their respective bristles. More particularly, the bristle brush hair roller 2 of my invention includes hollow tubular member 4 of relatively stiff or semi-stiff but flexibleor resilient material, such as horsehair, artificial horsehair, thermoplastic organic resinous material including polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, or the like. Hollow memher 4 is cylindrical and circular of uniform diameter throughout. Thematerial of hollow member 4 is braided or woven or molded or extruded to provide an open mesh body allowing easy penetration of fastening members, such as hairpins or the like, therethrough. Positioned within hollow tubular member 4, and in contact therewith, as clearly shown in the appended drawings, is helically or spirally wound wire body 6 which is actually a wire coil. Coil 6 has the shape or form similar to that of hollow tubular member 4 and likewise is cylindrical and circular of uniform diameter throughout and is a reinforcing member for hollow tubular member 4. Ends 8 and 10 of hollow tubular member 4 are turned in over respective ends 12 and 14 of coil 6 to form inturned portions 16, 16. Positioned within hollow tubular member 4 and coil 6 is cylindrical brush 42 including centrally positioned longitudinally disposed rigid member 44 formed of twisted wires 32 and 34, as clearly shown in the ap pended drawings and coinciding with the longitudinal coinciding axes of hollow'tubular member 4 and of coil member 6. Fixedly positioned in rigid member 44 between said twisted wires 32 and 34 are the plurality of radially posiitoned brush bristles 46 extending through and between the convolutions of coil spring 6' and the open mesh material of hollow tubular member 4 and beyond said open mesh material of hollow tubular member 4 and terminating beyond said open mesh material of hollow tubular member 4. Rigid member 44 is preferably of such longitudinal dimension that its respective ends 88 and 50 lie within hollow tube member 4 and coil 6, as is clearly shown in the appended drawings. Cylindrical brush 42, as is clearly shown in the appended drawings, is symmetrical with respect to its bristles 46 and core 44, that is, the bristles 46 are the same length and the core or rigid member 44 is longitudinally disposed with respect to brush 42 and lies on the central axis of its cylindrical brush 42. Each of said bristles 46 has a smooth spherically shaped end 48 integral therewith. The cross-sectional area .of the great circle ABAC of each of the spherically shaped ends 48 of the bristles 46 is larger than the cross-sectional area of at least the bristle portion 52 directly adjacent thereto and preferably of the entire bristle 46, and each of said bristles 46 is preferably cylindrical and circular in shape and of uniform diameter throughout. By way of explanation, the great circle .of a sphere is a circle whose center passes through the center of the sphere. In addition, the diameter AA of the great circle ABAC of each of the spherically shaped ends 48 is preferably no larger than twice the diameter of bristle portion 52 and preferably of the bristle 46 for its entire length, to impart thereto a resistance against the breaking of spherically shaped end 48 therefrom, and said diameter AA preferably being approximately 0.02 inch and the diameter of XX of each of the bristles 46 being preferably approximately 0.01 inch. As is clearly shown in the appended drawings, the spherically shaped end 48 of each bristle 46 is symmetrically positioned with respect to the bristle 46, the longitudinal axis of the bristle '46 coinciding with and being an extension of the vertical diameter BC of the great circle ABAC.

As is clearly shown in FIGURE 6, wherein there is illustrated one hair of a tuft or strands of hair, the hair 92 moves smoothly along the smooth spherically shaped end 48 down along the bristle portion, as shown by the dotted lines, without contacting any sharp edge .or edges as are present at the trimmed end of the heretofore used bristles. Likewise, in positioning the brush 42 within the hollow tube 4, the smooth spherically shaped ends 48 will enable the bristles 46' to move through the open mesh material hollow-member 4 without any entanglement in the same manner as the hair 92 moves along end 48 and the bristle portion adjacent thereto with the result that the brush bristles are uniformly disposed through and with respect to the roller perforations, and consequently in use of the roller, the'hair is gripped by the bfish uniformly throughout the length and diameter oft-he brush roller, making for an even smooth curl throughout.

As hereinbefore set forth, the smooth ball shaped tip can be ellipsoidal in shape, as clearly shown in the appended drawings (FIGURES 7, 8, 9, 10). Each of the bristles, in this embodiment, has a smooth ellipsoidally shaped end 31 integral therewith. The cross-sectional area of the ellipse DEDF of each of the bristles is larger than the cross-sectional area of at least the bristle portion 33 directly adjacent thereto and preferably of the entire bristle 35, each of said bristles here also being preferably cylindrical and circular in shape and of uniform diameter throughout. In addition, the major axis DD and the minor axis E F of said ellipse DEDF are preferably no larger than twice the diameter of bristle portion 33 and preferably of bristle 35 for its entire length, to impart thereto a resistance against the breaking of ellipsoidally shaped end 31 therefrom, and said major axis DD being approximately 0.02 inch and said minor axis -EF being approximately 0.015 inch. As is clearly shown in the appended drawings, the ellipsoidally shaped end 31 of each bristle 33 is symmetrically positioned with respect to bristle 33, the longitudinal axis of bristle 33 coinciding with and being an extension of minor axis EF and horizontal major axis DD of ellipse DEDF being perpendicular thereto. Now referring to FIG- URE 10, the cross-sectional area of ellipse KEK-F of each of the bristles is larger than the cross-sectional area of at least the bristle portion 33 directly adjacent thereto and of the entire bristle 35, the sectional view along line 10 being taken on a plane through axis E-F and substantially perpendicular to axis D-D. The axis KK is preferably less than the axis DD and greater than the diameter of bristle 35, as aforestated, and is preferably approximately 0.0175 inch.

Also, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 9, wherein there is illustrated .one hair of a tuft or strands of hair, as previously in FIGURE 6 in connection with the smooth spherically shaped end 48, the hair 93 moves smoothly along the smooth ellipsoidally shaped end 31 down along the bristle portion, as shown by the dotted lines, without contacting any sharp edge or edges as are present at the trimmed end of the heretofore used bristles. Likewise, in positioning a brush within the hollow tube 4, the smooth ellipsoidally shaped ends 31 will enable the bristles 35 to move through the open mesh material hollow member 4 without any entanglement in the same manner as the hair 93 moves along end 31 and the bristle portion adjacent thereto with the like results as attained, as aforestated with respect to the bristles having the spherically shaped ends.

Also within the scope of my invention is the use of a molded or extruded hollow tubular member of thermoplastic organic resinous material, such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, or the like, having diamond shaped perforations 102 in and through tube 104 as shown in FIGURE 11, and/or having rectangular perforations 106 in and through tube 108, as shown in FIGURE 12. Likewise, the perforations may be of various other shapes including oval, circular, triangular, and other shapes.

Many alterations and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention which is set forth in the appended claim which is to be construed as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

A bristle brush hair roller adapted to be positioned temporarily in the wearers hair and to form a hair curl comprising, in combination, a hollow flexible open mesh material tube and a longitudinally extending brush having radially extending bristles positioned therewithin, each .of said bristles having integral, relatively smooth end portions extending through and beyond said open mesh material hollow tube, ball shaped terminal ends on said bristles disposed outwardly and beyond said open mesh material hollow tube, the cross-sectional area of each of said substantially ball-shaped terminal ends being larger than the cross-sectional area of the bristle portion directly adjacent thereto, said cross-sectional area of each of said ball shaped terminal ends being taken on a plane coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the bristle, whereby the hair is uniformly gripped while being wound about the hair roller and whereby the bristles, in engaging the scalp, impart at all times the feeling of softness, without any discomfort, to the scalp.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,426,328 Wandel et a1. Aug. 26, 1947 2,587,792 Von Sivers Mar. 4, 1952 2,630,127 =Isbell Mar. 3, 1953 2,800,911 Solomon July 30, 1957 2,964,046 =Rubino Dec. 13, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,980 Great Britain Feb. 11, 1895 

